The Littlest Queen of Narnia
by phantom-lass
Summary: Set in 'Prince Caspian'. The children return to Narnia and everyone but Lucy return to adulthood. What will she do?
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Narnia or the characters I am only borrowing them.**

**The Littlest Queen of Narnia**

**Chapter 1**

_"I'm not sure you've really been listening Lu," the condescending way that her brother had spoken to her had rattled Lucy's already thin temper. _

_"No, you're not listening. Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch, Peter?" Lucy knew that her tone had been hard but she was sick of being treated like a child and before the war council as well well if it could be called a war council. _

The others had all left the room some time ago leaving only the brother and sisters behind.

Lucy knew better than to question the High King before his subjects so she had bided her time, keeping quiet until everyone had left the room to perform their tasks.

She gave each of her siblings a good glance up and down and she felt a tightness come to her chest and useless tears prick at the corner of her eyes eyes that were far more mature for a nine year old.

There her siblings were, tall and adult. The beard that Peter had had when they had left had even returned. Susan was tall and slim, while Edmund was nearly as tall as Peter was.

They had all insisted on being treated as adults when they had returned home, getting angry and resentful when they weren't and yet they were acting more like children now than they ever had and through their actions back home had been labelled 'children' more than once.

But why hadn't she been returned to her old body. Lucy thought wistfully about the old her. She had grown tall, but not as tall as Susan...actually by anybody's standards but her own she was pretty short. She had been slim as well, even slimmer than Susan but that had just been because of her height. She remembered the dress that she had pulled from her trunk at Cair Paravel and sighed.

She had been sixteen when they had left Narnia, old enough to begin courting.

Why hadn't she been returned to that?

Not even one inch had been added to her height since her return. Even her battle armour wouldn't fit her despite the fact that it had straps to fix it in place.

Perhaps it was punishment. It was her fault after all that they had left Narnia. She was the one that had led them all back through the wardrobe. It was her fault. She was the one who had led them into abandoning their kingdom. Abandoning Narnia...

But even if she wasn't in her old body she deserved more respect from her sibling than what she was getting. She still had all of the knowledge and the memories from those years. All of the fighting skills and the memories of battle tactics...memories of the help that Aslan had given them when needed.

She had shed as much blood as any of them. She had gone into battle along with them. They hadn't been happy about it but she had held her own and yet now they were treating her like a little toddler.

Lucy's temper finally bubbled over. She had had enough. She had enough of Peter's doubts, enough of the looks her sister kept throwing Caspian, enough of that creepy little dwarf who she really didn't trust and enough of Peter thinking that it was like the old days. IT WASN'T.

Her siblings all had selfish motives behind what they were doing. Peter wanted to prove that he was right and better than Caspian, Susan supported Caspian because she was attracted to him (Lucy wasn't stupid she knew her sister too well and what she had been like before they had fallen back through the wardrobe). Edmund...oh Edmund, he only wanted to show his support to his brother. Lucy knew that after what had happened with Jadis Edmund was willing to do anything to show that he was willing to defend his land.

"You're a fool," she growled out at her brother.

High King or not, she was going to be heard.

The air became frigid as Peter slowly turned from where he had been speaking with Edmund over a rudimentary map of the castle they were planning on attacking.

Peter's face turned white and Lucy knew that he was beyond angry but then so was she. He was risking the lives of their people...her people. She vaguely remembered the last time she had questioned his judgment, he had erupted like a volcano.

"Pardon?" he ground out.

Lucy unfolded herself from her position on the broken stone table and slid of, standing as tall as she could before her older brother. She looked up at him, her anger boiling just as strong and as fast as his.

"You heard me Peter. You are a fool. We are not in the Narnia we knew Peter. Our people do not fill every mile. These are our people," she gestured wildly around her taking in the now empty space that had been filled with Narnians only a few minutes before.

"These are the ones who are left and you are risking their lives with this stupid plan of yours," she hissed angrily.

"And what for, just for some kind of masculine game play between you and Caspian,"

At any other time the sight of a small child acting in such a serious way and saying such things towards a grown man would have been almost comical, but not now, right now, they were a king and queen arguing each one over what they thought was for the best.

Peter rolled his eyes and laughed humourlessly.

"What would you know about stupid plans?" he scoffed.

Lucy saw Edmund move forward just out of the corner of her eye.

_This would be so much easier if I was an adult again._

"Pete, now see here-" her brother started before she rose her hand to cut him off.

Edmund immediately stopped and left her to it, no doubt remembering that she was more than capable of matching their elder brother's sharp tongue.

She took one step closer to her eldest brother, her eyes cold and flashing an icy blue with her anger.

"Remember this brother," she snarled, her childish voice lacking the depth she wished for but carrying her anger well.

"I may look like a child but I have just as much experience as you. I have shed blood for Narnia just the same as any of you three. I have my right to speak here. You know we need Aslan, you will waste lives doing this. Lives that our people are willing to sacrifice...do not waste that gift that they give us brother. Their lives are too valuable," her voice lost its strength as images of battles fought long ago assaulted her mind. There was only so much her vile of healing liquid could do. She could not bring back the dead, she could only fan the faintest flame of life, not light it from nothing.

He brother just stared at her and she knew before he even spoke that she had lost the fight before she had even uttered a word. Peter was too stubborn for his own good.

"As I said Lu, I think we have waited for Aslan long enough," his voice was firm and his tone telling everyone there was no argument.

She shook her head sadly after meeting the eyes of her other siblings. Both of them would stick with their elder brother whither they agreed with him or not and she knew that that was what made them both weak.

"Then let it be on your head," she whispered hoarsely.

"But I will not support this madness," her voice broke as she stormed from the room, her dress billowing about her.

Lucy walked rapidly along the corridors leading from the chamber far under the ground to the sunlight above.

She walked past countless creatures paying them no mind in her desperation to vent her anger, not seeing their concerned glances or hearing their worried words.

Walking through the make shift forge she tightened the belt that held her dagger around her waist and picked up a belt filled with throwing knives from the corner of the cave that had been designated the armoury.

She continued in her steady movement. Knowing what she was going to do. She was going to return to Cair Paravel and she was going to find Aslan alone. She did not care what her sibling thought. She would try her best to end the bloodshed before it began...

**Hi everyone,**

**I was tidying my room and came across this. **

**I always wanted Lucy to get good and angry ever since I saw 'Prince Caspian' and off course it never happened. **

**This will probably turn into a Caspian/Lucy yip a wee bit of a bizarre mix but hay, thats what fan fictions for. **

**Please let me know what you think and if I should continue or not?**

**Thanks**

**Keep safe**

**:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**I own nothing :(**

**Chapter 2**

Trumpkin watched from the shadows as the siblings argued. Out of the four ancient kings and queens he had decided almost from the beginning that he liked the youngest of them the most.

Queen Lucy the Valiant. He remembered the tales that he had begged from his mothers, all those long years ago. All those years ago when he had not been disillusioned, and began to believe that maybe Aslan had abandoned them all after all.

Queen Lucy was the one who had found them. She was the first of the siblings to arrive in their land, the one who had the strongest bond with the great lion. He remembered the tales of battles and blood-shed and they had freed the rest of the lands from the White Witches grip. He remembered feeling anger at Queen Susan, she had her bow. They are distant weapons, archers stay far from the battlefield, they take aim at a distance and only fight when things become desperate. But Lucy the Valiant was in the middle of a battle from the beginning with her daggers and her swords while legend said that Susan preferred her bows and her arrows.

He shook his head as he watched them. Like big children they quarrelled among themselves.

_Perhaos she should have been called Queen Lucy the Wise, _he thought to himself as he listened to her words.

She was right in everything that she said.

Her siblings were treating her as a child, forgetting that she had as much, if not more experience than they did...and yet she remained trapped within her childish body.

He cast his mind back to their journey to the how, when all of them had still appeared as children. He could have happily treated the young Peter to a lesson he would have never forgotten as he had insulted his younger sister, acting the adult.

He still couldn't get over waking up that first morning to find, not the children that had fallen asleep but the fully grown, adults who did more resemble the kings and queens he had been told of and yet young Lucy and remained small and child like.

He had seen the heartbreak in her eyes as she looked up at her much older looking brothers and sister and he had not been able to stop himself from approaching her and trying in his stilted way to cheer her up.

The other kings and queen had all but forgotten her as they had completed their journey but he had stayed with her, helping her when she fell and saying something sharp when he knew she needed to argue with someone.

Everyone within the camp was guilty of treating her like a child, condescending in their manner towards her and he knew that that must hurt especially when she had so much to give.

"... some masculine game play between you and Caspian," he heard the girl shout.

Ahh yeas, she defiantly saw more than her young appearance gave her credit for. The tension between the old High King and the would be ruler of Narnia had been building almost from the minute they had met, while he was also not blind to the eyes that Queen Susan had been throwing Caspian either. He rolled his eyes remembering the way that Susan had agreed with Caspian – typical.

"I will not support this madness," he felt the cold rush of air as the young queen's body went flying past him and he quickly followed.

From his short acquaintance with the youngest member of the ancient royals he knew that she would be impulsive and follow what her heart told her to do - an admirable thing but not always the smartest.

He watched her as she walked sure footedly towards the weapons and swung a belt of throwing daggers over her shoulders, tightening the buckles and settling them over her body as she walked.

It had grown darker outside, time passing without notice in the gloominess of the caves, and everyone was deeper within where makeshift beds had been assembled.

He watched in astonishment as she left the safely of the how and no one but himself knew this.

He thought quickly. He couldn't let her leave alone. What was she trying to do? Where was she going? He wouldn't stop her, by the looks of her she knew exactly what she was doing, but what could he do? If he followed her he by himself could not be much help if they were attacked.

He decided quickly and bolted deeper within the how, searching for the centaurs. They were wise warriors, so he knew they would not be asleep. They would be wide awake, sharpening their blades while telling the younger ones the tales of old Narnia.

One of them would be a worthy protector.

* * *

Lucy walked, carefully and quietly through the shadows, getting further and further away from the how. She had a good memory and she knew that she could find her way through the forests and back to Cair Paravel and she could do it while avoiding the mistakes that Peter had made by leading hem straight to the enemy camp near the river.

Her anger had died down until it was only simmering gently within her, nearly smothered completely by the overwhelming sadness that filled her.

Had she been the one responsible in turning Peter into what he was now, it was her fault that they had returned to England, it was her fault they had even came to Narnia. She remembered the brother she had had before their first visit. He had been her protector and yet Edmund had benefited from their time here...in fact she had never been close to Edmund as now. ..

She didn't know any more.

She knew that without the detour to the enemy camp she would make it to Cair Paravel in less time than they had made it away.

She stopped.

Someone was in the forest with her. she listened for the soft crunshing noise and heard it again.

No one had seen her leave, she was sure of it. The armoury had been deserted when she had entered it and she was sure her brothers and sister would think she was in a huff and probably wouldn't even think of looking for her until tomorrow morning – maybe even later.

Gently she drew one of the daggers from the belt the hilt settling in her hand in that familiar way. These had always been her favourite weapons, next to her twin swords that were still deep underneath the castle at Cair Paravel. Her like for these weapons had put her in jeopardy more than once, in order to use them she had to be close to her enemy and she had received more than one scar because of that.

She heard it again. The rustle.

But whoever it was they were not close enough to her yet.

Bingo.

She heard it. The crunch of a twig told her they were more that close enough. She raised the dagger and let it fly, landing at the feet of her follower and her other hand went to the belt to find her next.

"Hold, your majesty,"

Lucy stopped, suddenly really glad for her habit of throwing at the enemy's feet and not their hearts when she couldn't see them.

"Trumpkin?" she asked the darkness just as a cloud shifted from before the moon to reveal her DLF.

"At your service," the red headed dwarf bent to dislodge her dagger from the ground and handed it to her – unfazed by what had happened.

"I'm sorry Trumpkin," she mumbled wiping the blade on her skirt and slipping it into the belt.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

She wasn't going to return. He was going to find Aslan and put an end to everything.

"We don't know what you are doing but we aren't letting you go alone," he announced walking nearer to her in his grumpy manner.

"We?" she questioned, peering into the darkness behind the dwarf.

"We," the dwarf announced gesturing with his arm.

Lucy watched as out of the darkness stepped one of the dark haired centaurs. Her heart clenched at her memory of Oreius - her wise Oreius. Her friendship with him had been as just as strong, if not stronger than her relationship with Mr Tumnus. She could use some of his calm words and steady presence right now. But he was gone, they were both gone, long gone from Narnia.

"What are you doing here?" she asked them again.

The centaur came closer and saluted her in the ancient way, as ne saluted their queen. She had not received any such honour since she and her siblings had entered the Narnian camp.

He placed his hand over his chest and bowed his head low while lowering his front leg, before straightening.

"I come to serve and protect, my queen,"

* * *

Rainstone had watched the siblings closely since their arrival and he did not doubt that they were who they said they were, especially after the dwarf had told them of their appearance when he had first seen them.

Their Kings and Queens of old had answered the horn and they had come to give them back their land.

Rainstone had never known anything different than this way of life. Hiding in the forest and finsing food where they could but his father had told his brother and himself stories that had been passed down through generations of Narnian families. Stories of when Narnia had been theirs. When the kings and queens had reigned, when with the help of Aslan the Great Lion, they had defeated the white witch and her followers.

He would serve them faithfully in reclaiming Narnia. With his life.

When Trumpkin had approached him in search of a protector for the youngest queen he could not say no. There was an inner strength within the young queen and yet through the will of Aslan she remained as she was, and as long as she did he would protect her, and even beyond.

**Hi. So sorry this has taken me so long to update. I wasn't sure of where to pick up so I thought I'd have Lucy with some companions. If you remember one of the centaurs that got left at the raid of the castle well this is the dude that I have included in my story. I didn't like it when he died. Ummm so yeah.**

**I know that there are probably a gazillion mistakes but I don't have the time right now to fix them – but I will tomorrow. I just thought that you would rather have the chapter asap. **

**If you could let me know what you think that would be great, **

**Keep safe**

**:)**


	3. Chapter 3

**I still own nothing. (either the films or the books) I am only borrowing the characters and shaking them about a little. **

**Chapter 3**

"_Why haven't you helped us?" _

"_Things never happen the same way twice, dear one,"_

Lucy was haunted by the words that Aslan had spoken to her in her dream. She had woken up and wandered from the camp, begging the trees to respond to her but had been greeted with nothing but silence – just like the trees back home they were lifeless.

She remembered what Trumpkin had told them.

The trees had retreated so far into themselves that they hadn't been heard from since not long after they had left. Ehat had she done? Another wave if guilt and despair filled her, twisting her insides until she thought she would collapse from the pain in was bringing her.

She had been sure that the snap f a branch had been Aslan but it hadn't been. That was when Peter had grabbed her...But he wasn't the Peter she had left behind in the camp when she had walked away from it a few minutes before. It had been the Peter that had followed her through the wardrobe and back into the spare-room. The tall and powerful High King over all Narnia and leader of the armies of Aslan. Everything had returned to him. She had even seen the small scar on his neck where he had been nicked by a dagger during a campaign.

And just like the old peter he had not hesitated in rushing into a battle. She had watched from her hiding place as he had clashed blades with a man an inch or two higher then himself and maybe a few years older.

The man they had quickly found out was Caspian.

* * *

Caspian lay in the darkness of the caves; he could hear the sound of the Narnians as they rummaged around settling in for the night ahead.

He could hear the sound of dripping water in the distance and the soft tapping as it hit the ground.

His mind raced with his thoughts despite his restful composure.

Had he done the right thing in calling for the help of the four siblings?

Was the plan that Peter had came up with going to work or only risk more lives?

Was the old high king prepared for what he was going to face in this new Narnia?

And what did it mean that the youngest of the siblings had not been transformed to her previous age?

Was it a sign? A sign from Aslan?

He did not know.

He knew that his own plan of remaining where they were would not last indefinitely and that his uncle's army could very well starve them out or indeed burn them out.

He wished he knew what to do.

* * *

"My lady, tell us of the old Narnia,"

They had been travelling in silence for some time now and it was now pitch black – with only the light from the moon left to guide them – when Rainstone's soft, deep voice suddenly shattered the silence.

Once again a stab of pain flitted through her as the way he spoke reminded her of Oreius.

"What would you like to know?" she asked softly as she lifted her skirt a few inches from the floor as she stepped over a fallen log.

"Anything my lady," the young centaur begged and she could not find it in herself to refuse him when it came to her people she had always been willing to do anything for them – large or small – and now was not the time to stop.

"The tree's used to dance," she sighed, voicing her comment from earlier and she was sure she saw Trumpkin's head jerk towards her.

"Everything was alive and breathing," she told them softly.

"The flower nymphs would sing to welcome the springtime and the trees would dance to welcome the sun," how she missed those days. She herself had danced with the nymphs throwing herself into the actions with so much joy it needed an outlet or she would have burst. She was still serious and mature for her age but she was more than happy to give into childish displays on such occasions.

"The legends say that you were the first to arrive," Trumpkin said but she knew that it was his way of wanting her to talk about it.

"Yes, my brothers and sister and I were playing a game of hide and seek. I chose to hide in a wardrobe but I could not find the back of it. It kept going on and on. Until it was no longer jackets that I was brushing up against but pine needles and snowy branches," she sighed in remembrance and a soft smile came to her lips. She remembered her meeting with Mr Tumnus and told them of it. she couldn't help but wonder if somewhere - in the depths of a Narnian forest somewhere – there was an old fashioned lamp post – a lamp post that had in the end led her away from her true hom.

Home was not England.

England had ceased to be her home a long time ago. they had returned home only for their mother to send them away to a boarding school.

"It was not until after the battle with Jadis that I became active in battle. Many refused to believe that the smallest of us could be capable of taking a life – the healer for that matter," she patted the vile at her hip.

"But I was not going to stay at home as the public face of our household as my family went to war," she told them, not knowing how she had suddenly found herself talking of such things nut now that she had started she couldn't finished.

"My gifts after all had been both the vile and the dagger,"

She remembered having an argument with her sibling to that effect.

"_It is my place too Peter!" she cried as her brothers and sister tried to bully her into staying at Cair Paraval _

"_No, you are too small," he had screamed back at her. _

"_What about this Peter?" she had yelled back at him, her stubborn streak coming to the fore. _

_She had whipped her dagger from her belt and waved it in the air angrily. _

"_Do you think he gave it to me just to look pretty? No. It is to be used in defence if Narnia and I will use it with your permission or not!"_

She had won the argument after much unneeded screaming and yelling but she had not given in just like she would not give in now.

**Hi everyone. I hope you liked this chapter. **

**I am sorry it is so short but I have a Psychology Report I have to write up for my lecturer boooooo college suck. **

**Anyway lease let me know what you think.**

**Keep safe.**

**:)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Still own nothing**

**Chapter 4**

Caspian ran his hand roughly across his face, trying to rid himself of his weariness. His hands rough from years of sword play didn't even register the slight scrape of his morning stubble.

He had been woken that morning by the soft murmuring of voices and he had opened his eyes and sat up stiffly, concentrating hard on the voices as he tried to hear just what they were saying, and who they were.

It didn't take him long to identify the tones of the King and Queens – no queen – of old.

"Edmund, did you see her, she talks to you more than us," that was Queen Susan's voice, she sounded irritated.

But who were they talking about?

"No. She was upset after the meeting but I just thought she would go of somewhere to cool down. She's never stayed away the whole night before," that was Edmund.

Where they talking about Queen Lucy?

"Has anyone seen her, she could not have gotten far without someone seeing her surely…" Queen Susan sounded like she needed convincing of her own words.

"Susan, this is Lucy, she could sneak out of a den of Jadis' guard without being noticed if she wanted to," Edmund snapped.

Jadis? The White Witch?

Caspian's confusion grew. One thing was certain though. Queen Lucy had gone missing.

"She will just be in a mood about last night that is all. She'll come back," that was Susan again. Caspian was quickly deciding that despite the initial attraction he had felt to Queen Susan she wasn't a very nice person. Wasn't she worried for her sister at all? All he could detect in her tone was irritation and a dash of annoyance.

Caspian desperately wished he could see what was happening but he did not want to risk being noticed and he needed to know just who he was dealing with where the Kings and Queens of old were concerned.

"Susan, Lucy does not go into moods," Edmund snapped.

"Pfft," that definitely sounded like a female scoff to Caspian's ears.

"She is a child," Queen Susan concluded, as though that little statement explained everything.

"Now that is where you are wrong Susan!" King Edmund growled and Caspian wished all over again that he could see the royals.

"She was correct last night. Peter –" there was a slight pause and Caspian could imagine the younger brother pointing angrily at the High King "-was in the wrong to treat her like a child. She fought beside us in battle when you stayed far away from the blades of the battlefield Susan. She fought to be near the men when they needed her for healing and yet you both treat her as though she cannot make a decision. And I am ashamed of myself that I let you!"

There was silence, quickly followed by the sound of clinking metal.

"Where are you going Ed? We strike the castle tonight," Peter yelled at his brother and the voices moved further away. Caspian quickly leapt to his feet and followed the siblings.

He ducked into the shadow of one of the flickering torches just as Edmund swung on Peter who had just grabbed his brother by the shoulder.

They faced each other and for the first time Caspian could see the rage on Edmund's white face. The sort of rage that turned you pale and made a layer of sweat cover your face. Edmund was furious.

"We need you here," Peter shouted at his brother.

"I am going to search for Lucy. Do not worry brother, I will be back for the execution of you 'great' plan," Edmund spat before shrugging from his brothers grip and stalking into the early morning sun, sword clasped tightly in his hand.

Caspian leaned back against the wall and sighed before quickly making up his mind. He would assist Edmund in the search for the little queen.

* * *

**With Lucy…**

Lucy tossed and turned restlessly. They had travelled all the night and next day after they had left and now they were taking a well-earned rest. The next day they would reach Cair Paraval. The place that had been her home hundreds of years ago. Her thoughts darkened at the memory of the ruins of their palace - the jewel of Narnia - where banquets and feast had been held to celebrate conquest and victories, to entertain visiting nobles and to seal peace treaties. All gone…attacked and torn from the cliff by the forceful blast of canons. The castle walls left to tumble into the sea…

It had torn her apart to see its condition. To see what had happened to it during their absence and it was all her fault.

She opened her eyes and refolded her cloak beneath her head when her eyes suddenly caught a flash of something behind a bush. She glanced about quickly. The D.L.F was asleep and Rainstone was facing the opposite direction on watch.

She slowly stood and quietly went in the direction of the moving shadow - the sun coming up lazily into the sky and shedding an eerie glow onto her surroundings. She knew it was pointless to try and out manoeuvre a centaur, her years of trying to out sneak – her heart clenched before she could stop the thought – Oreius.

She heard something move and heard heavy breathing somewhere in front of her. The dim light left her nearly blind in the dense woodland but her mind yelled at her that she knew who was nearby. She always knew…and always would.

"Aslan," she whispered hoarsely, he voice breaking.

She blinked, trying to clear the gathering darkness from her eyes and continued forward and when she opened her eyes she smiled widely to see the great Lion before her. His golden mane letting of its own light and making the small glade glow.

She threw herself at him without question just like she had before. Burying her face into his warm, thick mane and digging her fingers into his coat daring him to leave her, daring anyone to separate them.

"You have not changed at all my little lioness," he told her, his gravelly voice sounding right through her chest, amusement and tenderness lacing every word.

"You dare all to remain true to what you believe is right," he told her as she backed away from him ever so slightly.

"I didn't know what else to do," she cried softly, tears slowly trailing a oath from her eyes to her shin to fall unseen to the ground.

"The path the others have chosen will lead to nothing but death for our people. I had to do something to stop it," she explained, desperate for someone else to see her point of view. See the pain that she felt deep inside at the thought of seeing the bodies of loyal Narnians strewn across a battle field. She could not let that happen. She would die first.

"You have no need to justify yourself to be, dear one," Aslan's gravelly voice soothed her like no warm glass of milk back home could do.

"Ever since you first arrived here you have always felt a deep connection to this land and its people. Deeper than any of your siblings…"

Lucy could not hold herself back any longer and threw herself back at the lion, wrapping her arms around his neck in a grip that would have throttled any human. She buried her face in his mane, the smell of the sun, grass and Narnian spices filled her nose, as the tears fell once more from her eyes in a flood she couldn't stop even if she tried.

She should have known that only Aslan would truly believe in her. That only Aslan could restore her confidence in herself. She had been so frightened. Deep down in the depths of her soul she had been sick with fear. Sick at the thought of the consequences of what she was going to do…whatever she was going to do.

"I don't know what to do Aslan," she sobbed into the thick, soft hair of his mane. "I tried to make Peter see, I tried, I really did. But he won't…_they _won't listen. None of them will. And my people will die because of their folly," she cried, not even noticing her possessiveness of the creatures of Narnia. The images of battles fought long ago flashed through her mind, blood and death. For people did die in the wars fought during their so call 'Golden Age'. Her cordial could heal many injuries but it could not reverse death.

Aslan began to purr, the sound traveling deep inside her. Loosening her tense muscles and calming her sobs to slight whimpers as she once again regained control of herself.

"Do not worry Dear One, not all things rest on your shoulders. I have always watched over you. I shall not stop now,"

Those last words proved to be the healing balm that she needed as the last of her tears fell from her eyes and tries upon her cheeks. Her lips stretched into a slow, unsure smile, as she slowly pulled away from his warm body and stepped back.

"You will help us?" she whispered, looking into his smiling eyes as his great head bobbed up and down in a nod.

"Of course," his voice came to her as though he was far away and the light began to grow dim as his breath caresses her face.

"When the time is right…" his voice drifted to her before everything went dark.

Lucy opened her eyes slowly, more than aware of the smile that danced on her lips. But she couldn't help it.

She stretched happily as the Narnian sun warmed her skin.

Aslan was with her.

**Sorry it has taken me so long to update this story. I hope you like this chapter. Sorry there isn't much action in it. Trying to get back into the swing of things. **

**Let me know what you think**

**Take care**

**:)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own Narnia :( I am only playing with the world and characters a little bit :)**

**Chapter 5**

**Edmund**

Caspian and Edmund both trudged on, surrounded by the Narnian volunteers who Caspian had no doubt would have followed then whether Peter had given them permission or not.

The would-be ruler of the here and now and the warrior king of the past both paced beside each other lost in their own thoughts.

Edmund's thoughts whirled about within his mind but held one focus. His little sister…Lucy.

Where could she be?

Ever since they had first arrived in Narnia all those years ago and he had treated her so terribly they had grown closer. They had grown close during the years that they had ruled the magical land and then when they had been thrown back to their world and had tumbled from the wardrobe their relationship had remained just as strong and only grew stronger. He would never forgive himself for the way that he had treated his younger sister in those days, when he had been so angry at everyone.

Things had changed when they had returned home though. Peter and Susan both growing bitter at what they viewed as an imprisonment in younger bodies. Even he would have to admit that he was more than a little angry at Aslan for spitting them from their lands that way. But not Lucy. Never Lucy. He knew the pain of being separated from Narnia had eaten away at her soul and yet she had stayed positive, never bitter, never angry, always accepting and knowing that if it was meant to be they would return to Narnia. Putting all her faith in the great lion. Hoping…no! Knowing that one day they would return and all she had to be was patient.

His little sister truly had the wisdom of Aslan in her.

And yet how had she been treated.

He whacked angrily at a tree branch with his hand, sending it flying to the forest floor before him as it broke with a sharp snap, sending splinters flying.

Lucy's wisdom had been seen time and time again during times of battle, her mind always working towards a plan to save the most lives – on both sides. Peter was a good ruler but he tended to be over impulsive, not always thinking things through the way he should do, always eager to prove himself the king. Always eager to be the one seen as making the decisions wrong or right.

He should have done something – but he hadn't. Instead he stood there allowing Peter to speak down to their sister in a way that he never would have done if she had been standing before him as an adult. She looked like a child so Peter treated her as a child, dishing out the very same treatment that he had hated receiving when they had been back home. In what Susan had called 'the real world'. And yet now that they were back in the fantasy land she was more than willing to act the ruler, the queen…

He never should have tolerated Lucy being treated like that. She was always willing to believe so little of herself with Susan being the way she was. She didn't need any more reasons to feel less than she was.

He would fix this. By the grace of Aslan he would find his baby sister and this time he would look after her. He would not allow what had happened the day before to be repeated.

**Caspian**

Caspian glanced over at the King of old as a branch landed with a thud on the forest floor at his feet.

Whatever the other man was thinking about he was not happy with his thoughts.

Only one thought, one prayer danced clearly through the jumble of thoughts and questions filling his own mind.

The need to find Queen Lucy.

He was not sure of anything in the jumble that his life had become since the birth of his little cousin, but of that he was certain. Queen Lucy was needed.

The people of this land, the Narnians who this very minute were trudging behind himself and the king needed her.

Needed her guidance. Needed her hope...

**With Lucy**  
Lucy stood in the chamber of Cair Paravel, her companions standing guard above ground.

They had made good time, making it to the castle ruins in not even half the time it had taken them to reach the How. A small smile flirted with her lips as she remembered how stubborn Peter was when it came to knowing the 'quickest' route to Shuddering Woods…

The same shock that had filled her days ago washed over her again. The pain, the loss...the time... Enough time to reduce the once proud building – her home – to nothing but rubble. She wondered who had been present when the palace had been attacked. Someone must have defended it if catapults had been used by the enemy. How many had died?

Nothing about this chamber had changed. Everything was where it had been placed so long ago…and yet, it was only a year. It was as though she should be able to climb the stairs and come out into the throne room and feel the sun beating down through the roof...but there was no longer a throne room - only the ruins, a skeleton of what once was. Like the Narnians themselves… Reduced to nothing.

Tears slid down her pale skin to gather at her chin and drip to the floor as her knees buckled before her trunk. She leaned forward, the coolness of the rough wood grounding her body while her soul envisioned the past.

Mr Tumnus her first real friend from this magical land - this place of dreams and nightmares...of enchantment. Mr Tumnus with his scarf and his crooked grin...his warm hugs and soothing presence. She slammed her fist against the wood.

And Oreius, her Oreius. She knew that Peter had been jealous of her close and quickly established friendship with the centaur captain - with all of the Narnians. But she had been unable to help it, Narnia had ran through her blood since she had first entered the wardrobe and trying to stay away from her people was like trying not to breath. In all honesty she had found the battle hardened centaur intimidating but Lucy had never been one to run from her fears and exercising her queenly rites had requested his company whenever she could...

A sob shook her body at the same time a smile came to her lips. They had both been uncomfortable at first until with time they were as close as friends could be. He had been the one to take over her training. Honing her reflexes and training her muscles until wielding a blade, spear or bow had become second nature, requiring no thought in the face of an enemy.

She hated the killing and the bloodshed that had accompanied the beginning of their reign. But so many had still been under the influence of the witch that action had been needed... And she would not remain home. Where her people needed her she went.

Another sob shook her and she didn't even try to hold it back. Finally giving in to the loss, the despair and the pain.

"Aslan, I am sorry," she sobbed thumping the wooden lid of the trunk again.

"So sorry,"

She had held it back for too long. The agony of being separated from her land and her people and then the knowledge that al she had once known was gone.

And now, to be trapped in this body.

She slammed her fist against the Narnian oak again, ignoring the sting that it brought. Despite Aslan's soothing words from the night before the doubts filled her. What had she expected to achieve from returning to this place? To be restored to her older self? To be able to return to the How as the queen she had once been and face Peter as an equal…make him see reason.

She was a fool.

Even if she returned to the How the way she had once been she knew Peter would not listen to her. His mind was set. He was determined to prove himself the better man, the better king.

She released a shuddering breath and straightened up, rubbing vigorously at the tears that were refusing to stop.

"Oh Aslan what am I to do?"

**Hi everyone. I have been totally blown away by the response to this story. I mean, wow, you have no idea how happy your comments make me when I read them!**

**There will be more development/action in the next chapter :)**

**Keep safe everyone!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I do not own anything, I am only playing with the characters **

_**Previously**_

_She released a shuddering breath and straightened up, rubbing vigorously at the tears that were refusing to stop._

_"Oh Aslan what am I to do?"_

__Chapter 6

**With Lucy**

Her plea echoed softly around the room, bouncing off the stone walls and ringing through the statues, sounding as though her voice was coming from each of the likenesses of herself and her siblings. And then, once again, all fell silent, and all that could be heard was her trembling breaths as she tried to get herself under control. She was no good to anyone if she kept putting a watering-pot to shame the way she was.

She sighed heavily, flattening her hands on the trunk and heaving herself to her feet.

She felt so tired. She felt as though she was a thousand years old.

A sad smile came unbidden to her lips as she turned slowly in a circle, taking in the room in the twilight. There was nothing left to show of her old life - nothing but a trunk full of clothes and knick-knacks. She wobbled slightly as she completed the turn, once again facing the statue of herself, and reached out to steady herself against the wall.

Had Mr Tumnus or Mr and Mrs Beaver been part of the group to pack away the possessions into the vault? She slammed her hand hard against the wall bringing an end to that train of thought as she felt her emotions once again begin to spiral out of control.

_You are not a watering-pot Lucy! So stop acting like one._

Grunting in disgust at herself she twirled about angrily to face the stairs, swiping at the few tears that had once again began to escape.

She needed to get back to the How.

But then what would she do? What would she tell her brothers and sister? What would she tell the people…the prince? Her absence would have been noticed by now – it was unavoidable – and there she would be, returning with her tail between her legs like a wayward child. With no way to save her people from death because there would be no way to make her siblings stop their foolish plan…Except for Edmund perhaps…

Even now she doubted Peter would put halt to it to come and find her.

Peter was a king. He felt they had an advantage and he would not risk losing that to search for one person. Sister or not. Queen or not.

No! She would just have to do something else. Anything else. There had to be a way.

She walked towards the stairs, her every step filled with purpose, her gown snapping with each stride. She would go back to the woods by the canyon, back to where she had seen Aslan, maybe he would be there. She would-

"No one else could ask anymore of you than you have already done, my dear one," Aslan's voice brushed against her mind, as soothing and refreshing as a soft breeze on a summer's day, cooling her thoughts and bringing a soft smile to her previously hard-set lips.

Warmth filled her and she stopped dead in her tracks, her legs buckling in relief. She landed hard on her knees with a bruising force but the smile remained fixed upon her face.

She had found him…Or rather, he had found her.

"What should I do Aslan? I did not think past finding you…" she had not even been certain she would find him.

"Return to your family, dear one," the deep timber of his words continued to soothe her further, despite the apprehension.

"But Aslan…"

"Do not fear child, remember everything happens for a reason. And as I have told you before, the burden of this does not rest upon your shoulders my little lioness," she could feel the smile in his voice, the deep timbre becoming almost mirthful for the briefest of moments.

"I came seeking answers, Alsan," she mumbled at the lifeless stone beneath her knees, her eyes fixed firmly upon it.

"No dear one," rumbled his voice gently, like an embrace. "You came seeking absolution," she gasped at his words, her head snapping up, but his voice continued to wash over her, bathing her soul and senses in warmth, like a healing balm,

"Absolution for a sin you did not commit, dear one. You must release this guilt that eats at you,"

A tear slid silently from beneath Lucy's lashes, falling slowly down her check. She should have known that there was never hiding anything from Aslan. Where you could succeed in hiding something from yourself, you could never succeed with hiding it from him.

"It was my fault. It was because of me that we returned. Because of me that my siblings have lost faith. All my fault," she breathed raggedly, a sob escaping her throat despite her best efforts to contain it and she breathed deeply to stop herself from falling into hysterics once again.

"Do you think that you could have left this world if I had not wished it?"

Aslan's words brought her up short, stopping a shuddering sob in her throat.

She had never thought of that. But why would Aslan have sent then back?

"But…"

A gentle glow filled the room before she could stutter out a sentence, and in the time it had taken her to blink Aslan was before her in all of his golden glory, moving seamlessly towards her and resting his giant head gently upon her own. She collapsed against him, his warmth chasing away all questions. A few more tears escaped her eyes, soaking into his soft, thick fur.

"I…I…oh Aslan," she breathed tiredly, trying to contain all of the tears, breathing deeply and steadily, listening to the steady beating of his heart and the rumbling purr coming from his chest. She giggled softly at the comforting sound as it vibrated through his chest and travelled through her own body. His giant head moved slightly to nuzzle her cheek in affection.

"Lucy, you remain as you are for a reason," his voice rumbled deep and majestic in her ear as she sat contentedly with her head against his chest.

"Never think that you are being punished child,"

Deep down she knew…she knew that Aslan would never do that. But the doubt and accusation she saw on a daily basis in the eyes of her siblings had caused her own fears to fester and grow within over the months away from Narnia.

"I know," she breathed, exhausted, her emotions taking a toll on her body.

"I am sorry for doubting you Aslan,"

His purring continued, rumbling through the vault and then he pulled away from her slowly leaving her to support herself on the floor.

"I will never abandon you my little lioness,"

She smiled, wiping at her eyes and nodding her head.

"Now run,"

She blinked in surprise at his words and he was gone.

"Your Majesty, we need to go!" yelled Trumpkin from above.

Lucy did not waste any time in running up the stairs, stumbling and tripping as her eyes grew accustomed to the dimness after Aslan's light.

She scrambled up the last few steps on her hands and knees, ignoring the sting of grit and branches digging into her legs and hands, she cleared the entrance to the vault.

"Soldiers, your majesty," Trumpkin informed her quickly, his dagger drawn and ready for anything that came at them.

He grabbed her hand and they began to run. She hoped that he knew where he was going. She did not pretend to know her way through the ruins in the dimming light.

"Where is Rainstone," she gasped.

"Here your majesty," she hardly had the time to turn her head towards the voice before strong hands reached out of the darkness, taking her under the arms, and twisting her. She landed astride the centaurs back.

The briefest of thoughts flitted across Lucy's mind as her legs tightened around his middle to keep her astride and she wondered if Rainstone realised what honour he was granting her by allowing her to ride him.

"Come along friend,"

She heard an indignant grunt and Trumpkin was deposited in front of her. Her hands automatically closed around her DLF's waist, anchoring herself with more than her legs.

They flew though the darkness, leaping rocks and weaving through the trees the surrounded the ruins of Cair Paravel at a breakneck pace and Lucy's grip on Trumpkin tightened as she tried to stay on Rainstone and not go crashing to the ground and breaking her neck or back by landing on a tree. She hoped that the leather of her belt and the hilts of the borrowed throwing daggers weren't hurting him too much.

And then sounds other than the snapping of branches and the crashing of hooves began to reach Lucy's ears. Men shouting. More horses.

Something shot by them, the sound humming in her ears.

Arrows.

Several more shot by them, missing by inches to embed themselves deeply into tree trunks or to clang off rocks.

This continued for a few minutes but the panting of the horses and the shouting of the men grew closer and the aiming got better as they cleared the cover of the trees.

Lucy's heart was in her mouth as the humming grew closer to her ear.

And then she felt Rainstone tense beneath her and stumble.

"Rainstone!" she squealed in fear as they all jerked forward until the centaur righted himself, one arm reaching behind him to loop around her back and hold her in place.

His gallop continued, but not as smoothly as before.

He had hardly been keeping ahead of the soldiers without an injury he would never make it now while carrying two riders.

"Where are you injured?" she demanded to know, needing to know if it was fatal.

Silence greeted her question.

"Answer me Rainstone!"

"Right thigh," came the gasped reply as he continued his pained gallop, racing across the now tree-less landscape.

She peered ahead unable to make out anything clearly, but a patch of land ahead looked a lot darker than the gloominess around it.

Woodland! Cover.

_It must be the rear, there is no way an arrow could have hit his front. _

_Aslan, he's running lame. _

They would never make it to the trees before their pursuers caught up or one of their arrows found a more fatal mark.

Her thoughts flew. If she halved the weight on his back both Rainstone and the rider would stood a fair chance of escaping.

She made her decision.

She tightened her arms around Trumpkin in a quick embrace, leaning down slightly so her lips were closer to his ear.

"Keep riding no matter what," she spoke softly into his ear and he tensed at her words, "That is an order from your queen," she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before releasing her grip on his waist and tumbling from Rainstone's back.

***waves* Hi guys! Have you missed me? (It's all right, you don't have to answer that)**

** I am SO sorry for the epically epic wait there had been for this update. I have been working on a piece of original fiction over the past year (or so) and I have been stuck in a bit of a funk where my fanfics have been concerned – hopefully that is all over now (at least for a little while :)). I have a few chapters of **_**The Littlest Queen of Narnia **_**in the works so there will be another update up in - at the most - a fortnight. So hang tight m'darlings :)**

**I really hope the wait was worth it. I did promise more action in this chapter and we can wave bye-bye to depressed Lucy (hope you guys didn't find that bit too cheesy).**

**Tata for now ;)**

**P.S if you want to check out my original fiction (there are 5 chapters so far but I have around 80,000 words worth of story waiting to go up:-)) you can find it on wattpad. The link is at the top of my profile page.**

**It would be really great if you could check it out :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**I still own nothing :)**

**Chapter 7**

**Trumpkin**

"No! My lady!" Trumpkin called as Lucy's presence against his back vanished to leave nothing but the cool air of the falling night. Rainstone pulled up mid-gallop as soon as Trumpkin had fallen silent, dancing about to face the oncoming soldiers. The highly developed eyesight of both Narnians allowed them to easily pick out the slight body of the child-queen – her form became even easier to discern thanks to the approaching light from the torches of the horsemen.

The Telmarines were bearing down quickly.

Lucy was climbing to her feet, bracing her feet apart and slipping two throwing knives from her belt. She turned to them, a knife clutched in either hand.

"Go!" she screamed at them, "Get to the How,"

Trumpkin shook his head, all too ready to rush to her defence. But she had ordered him…as his queen. But could he leave her?

"Go!" she screamed again before turning from them and raising her arms.

The knives flew through the air.

"Go Rainstone," he ordered the centaur.

Rainstone was pawing restlessly at the ground, ready to charge forward into the approaching enemy.

"But the queen?" the centaur continued to stand, nervously shifting from one leg to the other, undecided.

Two soldiers fell from their horses, landing with what Trumpkin was sure were painful (if they were still alive that is) thuds on the hard ground. If he was to go to them and turn them over he was sure he would find a throwing knife sticking out of both of them.

"Has commanded us," he snapped, his words burning like bile in his throat. He didn't want to follow her orders but the part of him that had kept him alive for so many years accepted that form a tactical view-point it was the best decision to make. The party of soldiers was too large for them to overcome.

"But-"

"We leave. Now," he told the young centaur.

Rainstone shifted beneath him and Trumpkin thought that he was going to ignore him, before the centaur did do as he was instructed and took off into the darkness.

As they galloped away, the shouts of the soldiers ringing through the night, Trumpkin found himself praying to the Great Lion for the first time since he was boy sitting at his mothers knee.

_Aslan, forgive me for abandoning her._

* * *

They travelled hard through the night stopping only when absolutely necessary for Rainstone's injury. Trumpkin stayed on the centaurs back for most of the journey, four legs being a lot quicker than two, the younger Narnian had reasoned when Trumpkin had told him he would walk.

They travelled in silence for the most part, both males lost to the darkness of their own thoughts.

Rainstone was the one to finally break the silence when the thick woodland had forced him to stop his gallop and pick his way carefully through the foliage – besides it was not unknown for the Telmarines to dig pit traps in such stretches of woodland. Trumpkin had been careful to avoid such areas with the royals on the journey to the How and Lucy had followed the trail he had set on her return to the coast. But now necessity had forced their hand and to avoid any more Telmarine scouting parties they had to seek shelter in the depths of the woods – they had still had to take more than one detour thanks to a stray group or two who, ironically enough, where too busy trying to find their way out of the woods to worry about scouting anything.

The sun was beginning to rise and he was thankful for it. Experience had taught him that the birds would be a very effective early warning system if there were any soldiers banging about in their tin suits.

"Do you think Queen Lucy is safe?"

Trumpkin had been trying with everything in him to not think about what could be happening to the little girl he had come to care for so quickly. The child was a queen he would willingly and happily bend his knee to. And that was the problem. She was a child. An adult in mind perhaps, but there was only so much she could do with a child's strength. But then he remembered the thud of the enemy horsemen as they fell from their horses.

"I think the queen can look after herself," he replied gruffly, clearing his throat at the uncharacteristic tightness, "And right now, the best thing we can do for her is to return to the How as she told us,"

_And pray that she is safe…_

* * *

They finally reached the How just before midday, very nearly not making the last 200 feet thanks to a bow happy faun. They had been whisked straight to the council chamber. Trumpkin couldn't look at the cracked stone table without remembering Lucy sitting on it – the only one who dared.

They were barraged with question as soon as they entered the chamber but Trumpkin noticed that the Telmarines Prince was not joining in, opting to stand back and observe. He mentally nodded his head in approval at the young man, he was learning that a lot could be learned from watching and listening.

They explained everything as calmly as they could and Trumpkin exchanged a glance with Rainstone when Queen Susan demanded to know why they didn't bring Lucy straight back to the How when they knew she was gone. What could they say to that? That they didn't bring her back to be scolded like a disobedient child because she was in the right. Because they had both hoped in their heart of hearts that Lucy's quest would bring immediate peace. Because they just wanted to protect her and not to judge or demand her return…?

They remained silent.

"Why did you leave her?" King Edmund demanded the accusation there in his eerily calm, stiff tone.

"She ordered us, as our queen, to return to the How," Rainstone replied.

This lead to another bout of shouting and questioning from the royals – and yet the Prince remained silent through it all. Only watching.

"What were you thinking?"

"How could you just leave her?"

"Was she mad?"

"Are you insane?"

And so it went on. Trumpkin ignored it all. There was nothing that they could say to make him feel any guiltier than he already was. He _had _abandoned Lucy. He had done so reluctantly but he had still done it And right now he felt lower than dirt.

_But we would not have all survived._

He knew it was the truth. Right now Rainstone's archer mother was fussing over her son's injury, covering it with herbs and leaves - necessity made everyone a healer. There was no way that Rainstone would have made it with the weight of both of them. Trumpkin would have happily exchanged places with Lucy, and yet the time it would have taken for her to get back on the centaur would have been long enough for the soldiers to lock onto them and they would be back at the beginning of his mental argument. Dead.

"This changes everything Peter,"

Trumpkin shook the thoughts from his mind and realised that the shouting and blame throwing and ceased and King Edmund was talking briskly to his brother.

"How so Edmund?" the High King obviously had no idea just where his brother was going with this.

"You cannot attack the castle knowing that Lucy is inside," Edmund clarified.

"I can and I will, Edmund. This is war. I love our sister but she knew what she was doing when she left. Nothing has changed. Besides, there is no way of knowing that Lucy was taken to the castle,"

Very few things surprised Trumpkin anymore but this was definitely one of those few occasions that left his mouth gaping like a fish. Had the High King of all Narnia just said what he think he just did?

"You can't mean that?" well, Edmund had obviously heard something to shock him.

"Yes I can Edmund. We attack the castle tonight just as planned,"

Trumpkin's mouth remained unhinged a bit longer. He had said what he thought he had. Trumpkin could not believe the callousness of Peter's words. What he found even harder to stomach was that Lucy's own sister had nothing to say about it, appearing to be in agreement with her brother.

Trumpkin heard a clatter of hooves and saw Rainstone dancing in agitation at the turn the conversation had taken, stilling slightly when his mother scolded him as she tried to finish with her healing.

A low snarl erupted from one of the leopards – someone else who was not too pleased with the High Kings plan of action.

Edmund jerked towards his brother, looking as though he was just holding himself back from striking him

Glenstorm shifted forward towering over them all, but Trumpkin had no idea what he was hoping to achieve.

The Bear was ringing his paws anxiously.

And through all of this, no one but Trumpkin noticed Prince Caspian slip from the chamber.

**With Caspian**

Caspian headed straight to the 'roof' of the How and paced the ridge restlessly, trying to think his options through in a logical manner. It was a beautiful day part of his mind realised – so different from the gloom of the castle – and yet his mind was too full, racing for answers, for him to truly appreciate it.

Did he go along willingly with Peter's plan and attack the castle? Or hide in the woods for the rest of his life, ducking from the sight of patrol parties and drawing a sword at every snapping twig? Or maybe stay at the How to just sit and wait for Miraz to smoke him out and annihilate the Narnains while he did so.

No. He couldn't do that. He owed it to the Narnians to give them back their lands and their life. He owed it to the future generations too, so they would never have to live in fear as their ancestors were doing now. His people had done this to them, driving them from their homes and making them hide. His own father had been a part of this cycle that some Telmarine king of long ago had started.

He would set this right if only he knew how to.

His tutor had filled his head with such wonderful tales of old Narnia all of his life. Stories – true stories he had constantly been assured – of the kings and queens of old. How they had defeated the forces of the White Witch with the aid of the Great Lion. How they had finally made it possible for the ice and snow that had covered the land for over a hundred years to thaw. They had brought an end to the century long winter and had swiftly freed the whole of Narnia from the witches hold. As a child he had soaked up the account, taking in every detail, amazed by the descriptions of beings he could hardly imagine.

And now he was surrounded by them - centaurs, fauns, dwarves, talking animals. And then there was the king and queens themselves.

He sat on the sun dried grass with a heavy sigh, facing the thick woodland.

The attack on the castle was planned for tonight. But could he go along with it knowing that he could be putting the youngest queen's life in danger. He was not surprised that a scouting party had run across Queen Lucy and her companions, Caspian and Edmund's search party had been forced to return to the How after running into three such groups themselves. The volunteers had been willing to continue the search but neither Caspian nor Edmund wanted to risk the unnecessary injury of any of the Narnians with them. The fact that they knew Lucy was not alone eased their anxiety at returning without her.

And yet now her companions had returned. And Lucy was in enemy hands, not only that but he had no doubt that she would have been taken straight to the castle. A war prize for all the people to see. Someone for Miraz to parade before the council.

Caspian did not blame the dwarf or the centaur for returning without their queen – he knew that the guilt of doing so was hanging heavy over them - it was the best decision to make under the circumstances. And he knew that his uncle would see the girl as being too valuable an asset to kill out right. But how would he react if Peter went through with his plan to storm the castle.

Caspian did not agree with the High King on this. He did not think that possibly sacrificing Lucy's life was worth taking the castle. The caste was a death trap to anyone who got caught there, there was no escape as soon as the drawbridge was lifted.

He had to think of a way to get the child-queen out of the castle before Peter carried out his plan…

**Hi! **

**I told you guys that I would have an update up soon :) And I have left you with another (semi)cliff-hanger because I am evil. Mwahahahahaa. **

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